Pressure fluid coupling



J. `C). CREEK PRESSURE FLUID COUPLING Mach 2s, ,1950.1

Filed oct. 4, 1946 Patented Mar. 278,l 1950 .PRESSURE 'cou-BLING John 0. Creek, Brampton, Ontario, Canada Application-october y4, 194s', ser-iai Nor 101,129 4 claims. (c1. fest-17) ll This invention relates to couplings .forconne'c't-L ing branch lines to main feed lines carrying :ya

Y pressure -fluid and the principal object of the `inventionis to provide .a coupling which will permit 'a branch leading to a uid pressure operated toolfvto be connected or disconnected instantaneously with the ,pressure supply without requiring thefuse of toolsoffany kind.

A lfurther object is to lprovide a vpressure fluid supply line with a plurality of dischargelaterals, each of which is effectively .sealed by a closure member which will be displaced simultaneously withjthe placing of la coupling to connect abranch line thereto. y

A still further object is to lprovide va coupling which will 4permit extraordinary freedom of movement of .lateral Vor branch lines Without .disconnecting the .coupling and without creating leakage.

The Aprincipal feature of the invention consists in providing -a pressure lluid supply .conduit with hollow cylindrical extensionshaving lateral .discharge ports, a Abranch line sleeve coupling .slidiably and .removably embracing said ported cylinder and adapted to conduct pressure iluid therefrom, and -a sleeve mounted on said ported cylinder adapted to displace said sleeve coupling and se'althe ports o'f said cylinder.

Yn the accompanying drawings- AFigure `1 is a .perspective view of a coupling constructed in accordance with this invention shown applied to a sectionalmain fluid pressureline.

"Figure 'l2 is a` perspective View showingv the Aiisplace'able portions of the branch line coupling removed rfrom -the pressure iluid branch.

Figure 3 'is a perspective quarter sectional view taken through the assembledfitting shown in Figure l. u s,

-li'gurel is a' perspective quarter sectional "View of the structure as illustrated in'Figure'Z.

Figure 5-is fa perspective view of the end of one of the lateral or i'luid supply branches with 'the branch coupling and also the sealing ring 'removed.

'Figure 6 'is an enlarged perspective detalof a fluid branch and'sealing ring.

'Many industrial and commercial A'establish-- 'ments have adopted the'use ofpressureuid Vopjerate'd tools and other equipment and uid pressure pipelines-or conduits are 'fed withipressure ev 2 throughout a` main pressure feed: linie, .and4 as herein shown the main feed line Iy has threaded openings 2 arranged at suitable locations throughout its A length in which are secured' the n branch 'extensions 3v. Each of 'these branches-'is provided with a threaded: end 4 and at polyaiigular portion y5 permitting the use of a, Wrench; to tighten the threaded)` portion in the main: supply line.

Extending beyond: the angular portion: 5 is a cylindrical partA 62, which is of` greater diameter? than the polyangular part' 5; and. formsE .ai shouife der lfrat. the outerend or thepart 5.

\ A cylindrical sleevel 8 rotatably encircles the' cylindrical part .6 and .is provided with arr 'im turned flange; 9 at: one end: whifclix engages 'the shoulder l. and forms a limiting: stop to the out ward' movement'of the:v sleeve:

The' cylindrical'. portion 6r isi' formed?. with ai pair of spaced-apart annular grooves HT 'andi lll -in which are mounted annular rubber. rings Wand lf3 respectively; Between the annular" rings' are arrangeur a' plurality: of' radial holes I4.' which extend inwardly' to@ an: axially boredk 'orifice |15y extendingrinwardly from the threaded-'endif of themember .A cylindrical. sleeve It" 'is adapted to" nt'snugiy over the 'perimeter' of` the cylindrical part '6 of the? member 3 and the periphery' of the rubber rings I2 and I3 engage sealngcoutact with' the1 innerk Wall1 of 'this` member when it .isf inserted overthg cylindrical' part 6 of"` the member' 3i annular groove l1 is formedirrftneinuer wall of the member I6 midway off'it'slengtlrwliich" extends-between'the'sealilig rings lf2 and' lf3* and communicates with'- tsl-'1er radial" holes Iflinf wh' 'li a vlluid flowing through tlieaxial hole f5 o'ffea'cl ofthe-extensions and"L the radiali holes Il; Hows through the annular groove I 1 to a radial orifice I8 extending through atv nipple*- FQ to which" a branch tube leading: toa= suitable tool orimplement isiconn'ecte'd'.

The bottom oftheg'rooves I0 is provided with narrowy annular grooves 20* arranged" adj acent' to each side wall and the inward of' these grooves adjacent to the hol-'es r4" are connec'zted by small' 'holes 2|`y with the axial orifice"Y l5. so thatA fluid pressure hows" radiallyY outward to` press against the: inner perimeter of" each' ofthe rings |21 and F3" to' force them outwardly" in pressure contact with the innerV perimeter ofthe sle'eveil 6' to which the branch conduit is connected.

It will thus be seen that the pressure uid will flow freely from the main line through the branch members 3 and, flowing through the cen` The sleeve member 8 is here shown provided with a pair of laterally extending lugs 22 about which the ngers of the hand may be easily.

gripped, and when it is desired to remove the extension sleeve I6 it is merely necessary'to hook the fingers about the lugs 22 and pull the sleeve 8 outwardly. The sliding movement may be assisted materially by giving the sleeve a rotary movement. The sleeve when thus pulled outward pushes the member I6 to slide it off the cylinV drical part 6 of the member 3, and the member 8, having the same internal diameter as the member I6, slips over the cylindrical part 6 and over the rings I2 and I3.

The pressure fluid is thus simultaneously cut off from the channelled branch connection and sealed by the sleeve 8 as such sleeve is movedv to the position illustrated in Figure 2. This sleeve is contacted inside by the sealing rings I2 and I3 and escape of the pressure fluid is prevented.

When it is desired to attach a coupling in the form of the member I6 connected with a tool or' instrument it is merely necessary to insert the ring I6 over the outer end 23 of the member 3 and by direct inward pressure the sleeve 8 is moved inwardly while being displaced by the: member I6 Which slips over the sealing rings I3! and I2 and connects the annular passage in the member I6 with the branch line, while the sleeve 8 is moved inwardly to an inactive position.

It will be seen from this descriptionA that, wherel a main supply line of pressure fluid is carried throughout a plant and provided with numerous branch extensions, an operator of a machine may couple up with the main pressure fluid line at a point close to his work by simply pushing the sleeve end ofthe tube of his instrument over the branch extension. Then when he is through he simply pulls outwardly on the sleeve 8', disconnecting the member I6 and automatically sealing the discharge passages.

No tools are required; there is no loss of pres-I sure at any time in the main line through leakage due to faulty connection and the coupling automatically seal.

Coupling devices such as described are tremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture: and will save a great deal of time of the operator in connecting and disconnecting tools from the supply line.

What I claim as my invention is: 1` A pressure fluid coupling comprising a hollow cylinder adapted to be connected to a pres:- sure uid conduit and having lateraldischarge ports, a displaceable branch line sleeve coupling slidably and removably mounted embracing said ported cylinder and rotatable thereon and formed'` with a groove adapted to register with said ports,I peripheral fluid pressure operated sealing means carried by said cylinder and forming a seal withV said branch line sleeve each side of said groove., said sealed groove conducting pressure iluid from'.

i said cylinder, and slidable means mounted ori said ported cylinder adapted to displace said sleeve coupling and seal the ports of said cylinder.

2. A coupling as claimed in claim 1 having annular grooves arranged in the outer wall of said hollow cylinder either side of said ports, minor annular grooves arranged in the bottom of the aforesaid grooves adjacent the inward edges thereof, radial lpassages extending inwardly from said minor grooves to the interior of said hollow cylinder, and said sealing means comprises a solid rubber ring arranged in each of said annular grooves and adapted to extend beyond the per- `imeter of the hollow cylinder and engage in sealing contact with the sleeve coupling and having the edges thereof adjacent said branch line sleeve VKgroove urged into sealing contact with said branchline sleeve by fluid pressure in said cylinder to preclude fluid ilow laterally in either direction from said branch sleeve groove. l ,y

3. A coupling as claimed in claim 1 in which the slidable means mounted on said hollow cylinder comprises a sleeve provided with lateral lug extensions and with a stop flange at one end, and the cylinder is formed with a shoulder to engage ,said flange said latter sleeve being engaged by :said iluid pressure operated sealing means upon .displacement of said branch line sleeve to effect .a seal of said discharge ports.

4. A pressure uid coupling comprising a hollow cylinder adapted to be connected to a pressure fluid conduit and having radial discharge ports in the wall thereof, annular grooves ar- Ranged in said cylinder either side of said discharge ports, minor grooves formed in the bottoms of the aforesaid grooves adjacent said discharge ports and in communication with the in- *terior of said cylinder annular sealing rings .mounted in the first-mentioned grooves, a dis placeable Ibranch line sleeve coupling slidably and removably mounted embracing said ported cylinder and rotatable thereon, said sleeve being formed with an inner annular groove adapted to register with the lateral discharge ports and to conduct pressure fluid therefrom, the inner walls lof said rotatable sleeve either side of the inner annular groove forming a seal with said sealing rings expanded and urged into contact therewith at their inner peripheral edges adjacent said discharge ports under pressure fluid entering said minor grooves, and slidable means to displace said sleeve and to tbe engaged by said uid pressure expanded rings to seal the ports of said cylinder.

JOHN O. CREEK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ile of this patent:

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UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,393,679 Gunderson Jan. 29, 1946 

